The Unbalanced Three

Chapter XI ~ The One

As the doors swung open, Lexi glanced at Thomas for reassurance. However, his grim expression did little to settle her nerves. The guard in front of Lexi and Thomas stepped to the side and they entered the room before them. 

It was as beautiful and grand as everything else in the palace. Before them was a curved dais showcasing eight elegant white chairs and a massive golden throne. All of the white chairs, save for one, were filled by equally elegant and imposing men and women. And yet, even despite the powerful figures on either side, the obvious focus of the room was sitting on the throne of gold. Though she wore no crown, she was clearly The One. She was middle aged but trim, and her tanned face was still smooth. Severely blue eyes rested above high cheekbones and a sharp nose. She had on a perfectly tailored white coat, as stiff as the guards' uniforms, and her dark hair was pulled back tightly.

Lexi startled as she felt a nudge from her left. "Bow," Thomas muttered. Pulling herself together, she mimicked his stiff half bend, staying still for a few seconds and then rising.

As they rose, The One uncrossed her legs and sat forward with a snake-like grace. "Ovwan Blackthorn," she greeted, stone-faced. Interesting, Blackthorn must be Thomas' last name. Lexi almost found it comical how little she knew of Thomas, given how much he had changed her life.

"My One," he replied stiffly.

"I'd hoped you'd be gone for much longer." The One turned her attention to Lexi, who felt suddenly self conscious as the focus of everyone in the room shifted to her. "But I understand you found something...interesting."

"Erm, I'm Lexi," she said with a half wave, caught a bit off guard by the piercing gaze of the woman, which was simultaneously familiar and unsettling. 

Thomas nudged her in the side again. Damn, she'd already forgotten his instructions. "My name is Lexi Morrison, My One." she amended quickly. She needed to focus, even though she was way out of her depth here.

A few murmurs arose from the seven people seated in the white chairs. "This is the Angelike?" a man to the left of The One asked. He had a thick red beard, braided in sections with golden beads.

"Do we know why was she on Duo yet?" inquired a woman to the right, whose dark forearms were heavy with metal bracelets.

The One held up a hand and they all fell silent. "Hold your questions for now. Give your report, Blackthorn."

"Yes, My One. I reached out to you earlier because I believe Lexi Morrison is an Angelike," Thomas began, clasping his hands behind his back and stepping forward, "This morning I heard screaming, which led me to discover Lexi Morrison bleeding out on the floor of her apartment, a neighboring unit to my own. It was a single Daemon attacker, whom I was unable to apprehend. Morrison had seventeen stab wounds. Obviously, assuming she was a Tae, I believed her to be dead. Upon examination, however, she was not dead and, in fact, already healing."

Lexi felt her stomach roll as she remembered her fear, and the certainty she would die. Just this morning she had been planning an evening at home with Jamison. Now, so much had changed. Although it was just barely sunset on Unum, it was probably past midnight on Duo and in all the excitement Lexi had forgotten how tired she actually was. Her nerves were shot and reliving her attack was not helping. She bit the inside of her cheek and forced herself to focus on the current discussion.

Thomas had now finished speaking and Lexi noticed shock among the people in the white chairs.

"Why would a Daemon want to kill her?" one asked, this one an older white haired woman.

"I don't know. It could be because she is Angelike," Thomas responded. It was a fair question, and one Lexi had wondered herself. Though she had asked her attacker, his cryptic answer was little help.